Topic 4 Process
Topic 4 Process
TIME STUDY
Time study is also called work measurement. It is essential for both planning and control of
operations.
According to British Standard Institute time study has been defined as “The application of
techniques designed to establish the time for a qualified worker to carry out a specified job at a
defined level of performance.”
Steps in making time study
Stop watch time is the basic technique for determining accurate time standards. They are
economical for repetitive type of work.
Steps in taking the time study are:
1. Select the work to be studied.
2. Obtain and record all the information available about the job, the operator and the
working conditions likely to affect the time study work.
3. Breakdown the operation into elements. An element is an instinct part of a specified
activity composed of one or more fundamental motions selected for convenience of
observation and timing.
4. Measure the time by means of a stop watch taken by the operator to perform each
element of the operation. Either continuous method or snap back method of timing could
be used.
5. At the same time, assess the operator’s effective speed of work relative to the observer’s
concept of ‘normal’ speed. This is called performance rating.
6. Adjust the observed time by rating factor to obtain normal time for each element
Normal = Observed time* Rating
100
7. Add the suitable allowances to compensate for fatigue, personal needs, contingencies etc.
to give standard time for each element.
8. Compute allowed time for the entire job by adding elemental standard times considering
frequency of occurrence of each element.
9. Make a detailed job description describing the method for which the standard time is
established.
10. Test and review standards wherever necessary.
Standard Time
Standard time is the time allowed to an operator to carry out the specified task under specified
conditions and defined level of performance. The various allowances are added to the normal
time as applicable to get the standard time “Components standard time”.
Standard time may be defined as the, amount of time required to complete a unit of work:
(a) Under existing working conditions
(b) Using the specified method and machinery
(c) By an operator, able to the work in a proper manner
(d) At a standard pace.
1. Relaxation allowance
2. Interference allowance
3. Contingency allowance.
1. Relaxation Allowance
Relaxation allowances are calculated so as to allow the worker to recover from fatigue.
Relaxation allowance is an addition to the basic time intended to provide the worker with the
opportunity to recover from the physiological and psychological effects of carrying out specified
work under specified conditions and to allow attention to personal needs. The amount of
allowance will depend on nature of the job.
Relaxation allowances are of two types: fixed allowances and variable allowances.
i. Fixed allowances constitute:
a) Personal needs allowance:
It is intended to compensate the operator for the time necessary to leave, the workplace to attend
to personal needs like drinking water, smoking, washing hands. Women require longer personal
allowance than men. A fair personal allowance is 5% for men, and 7% for women.
a) Allowances for basic fatigue:
This allowance is given to compensate for energy expended during working. A common figure
considered as allowance is 4% of the basic time.
ii. Variable allowance
Variable allowance is allowed to an operator who is working under poor environmental
conditions that cannot be improved, added stress and strain in performing the job. The variable
fatigue allowance is added to the fixed allowance to an operator who is engaged on medium and
heavy work and working under abnormal conditions. The amount of variable fatigue allowance
varies from organization to organization.
2. Interference Allowance
It is an allowance of time included into the work content of the job to compensate the operator
for the unavoidable loss of production due to simultaneous stoppage of two or more machines
being operated by him. This allowance is applicable for machine or process controlled jobs.
Interference allowance varies in proportion to number of machines assigned to the operator. The
interference of the machine increases the work content.
3. Contingency Allowance
A contingency allowance is a small allowance of time which may be included in a standard time
to meet legitimate and expected items of work or delays. The precise measurement of which is
uneconomical because of their infrequent or irregular occurrence.
This allowance provides for small unavoidable delays as well as for occasional minor extra
work: Some of the examples calling for contingency allowance are:
Tool breakage involving removal of tool from the holder and all other activities to insert
new tool into the tool holder.
Power failures of small duration.
Obtaining the necessary tools and gauges from central tool store. Contingency allowance
should not exceed 5%.
EXAMPLE
Assuming that the total observed time for an operation of assembling an electric switch is 1.00
min. If the rating is 120%, find normal time. If an allowance of 10% is allowed for the operation,
determine the standard time.
Solution
PRODUCTION METHODS
Production is about creating goods and services. Managers have to decide on the most efficient
way of organizing production for their particular product.
The cost of implementation is generally high. It requires a long set up and painful
debugging.
May not be suitable for a large variety of products.
There might be difficulties with out-of-cell operations.
The range of product mix in a plant may be under constant change in which case the GT
cells may need a constant revision which is impractical.
The entire production of the company cannot be put under the GT and hence GT will
have to coexist with the conventional layouts.
Too many GT codes are used since no one code suits all applications.
QUALITY GONTROL (SPC)
Introduction
Statistical process control is a method of measuring and controlling quality by monitoring the
manufacturing process.
Statistical process control (SPC) can also be defined as a scientific, data-driven methodology for
monitoring, controlling and improving procedures and products.
This method involves collection of quality data. This quality data is collected in various form. It
can be in form of process, measurements, product or reading from various instrumentations.
This data can be used in evaluating, monitoring or controlling a process.
Importance of using statistical process control.
1. Monitors product quality in real time and spots variation.
2. Creates product of more uniform quality.
3.improves productivity and efficiency
4. Reduces costs of products, also the cost in handling customer's warranty claims.
5. Saves on time
6. Reduces variability and scrap.
CONTROL CHARTS
History of Control Charts
Control charts are simply statistical process control tool used to determine if a manufacturing or
business process is in a state of control. Control charts were first utilized in 1924 by Walter
Shewhart to aid the world of manufacturing. When total quality management (TQM) was
explored, W. Edwards Deming added elements to control charts to assess every area of a process
or organization. Walter Shewhart’s thought was that, “no matter how well the process is
designed, there exists a certain amount of nature variability in output measurements.”
Definition in the Modern World
In other words, these charts are graphical device for statistical process monitoring. They have
long been used in manufacturing, stock trading algorithms, and process improvement
methodologies like Six Sigma and Total Quality Management (TQM). They are also used for
setting upper and lower bounds of acceptable performance given normal variation.
They act as an alarm or, for instance a machine suddenly breaking on a factory floor or if
someone has a breakthrough that needs to be documented and standardized across the larger
organization. These helps the person in charge to know when something needs to be fixed or if
one is below the lower control limit or above the control limit.
Why use control charts?
According to KnowWare, the maker of QI Macros SPC Excel Software for Six Sigma “A control
chart tells you how much variation the process causes. A stable process produces predictable
results consistently.” An example of a control chart that shows an unstable process means
variables affected must be analyzed and controlled before the improvement process can begin.
Most examples of control charts consider two causes of fluctuation; common causes and special
causes. We could take baking a cake as an example of a common cause in a control chart. Even
though a recipe is followed to the letter, elements considered common causes might be types of
oven utilized or high elevation cooking—those items would be considered a common mishap if
the cake baking process failed. Essentially, if you don’t know the exact temperature of an older
oven or high elevation directions are not offered, it’s acceptable. Special causes in baking that
same cake might be a recipe that forgets the baking powder as a needed ingredient. The lack of
baking powder is a special cause as it “causes” the cake baking process to fail. Therefore, why
the cake baking process failed must first be discovered (lack of baking powder) and then
corrected.
Features of a Chart
1) Points representing a statistic (e.g. mean, range, proportion) of measurements of quality
characteristics in samples taken from the process at different times.
2) Calculation of the data. The calculation of the means is displayed
3) A cell center line drawn at the value of the mean of the statistic
4) Standard deviation of the statistic calculated using all the samples
5) Upper and lower control limits. They are used to indicate the threshold at which the
process output is considered statistically.
Types of Control Charts
i) U Chart – These variable types of control charts utilize an upper and lower range.
Elements falling in the upper range need attention and analysis in order for the
problem to be corrected.
ii) X-Bar & R Charts – These variable charts utilize the X-Bar or the Mean to determine
subgroups. The R or Range plots the subgroups based on upper and lower control
limits. X-Bar & R Charts are the most widely utilized charts in project management,
however, are only successful if 5 or less subgroups are analyzed.
iii) X-Bar & S Charts – Using this example of a variable control chart is effective for 5 or
more subgroups and the S or Standard Deviations are considered in both upper and
lower control limits based on the X-Bar or Mean.
iv) p Control Charts – This attribute-type chart is effective when elements are not equal.
A p Control Chart might be used to determine how many accidents occur each day at a
chosen intersection.
v) c Control Charts – Another attribute-type control chart, the c Control Chart explores
elements that are nonconforming. A c Control Chart might be used to explore mass-
production of one similar product where the elements per unit do not conform to the
norm
JOB/WORK EVALUATION
Job evaluation is an activity carried out to compare jobs for assessment of their relative worth for
the purposes of establishing a rational pay structure. Reducing the dependence of arbitrary
methods of determining pay is the aim of job evaluation, this is done by introducing an element
of objectivity in the comparison methods of jobs. The relative worth produced are assumed to be
affected by variables such as; skill, responsibility, working conditions and effort. Most job
evaluation methods depend on subjective judgements such as justice, logic and equity, the
progressive refinement of job evaluation attempts to minimize the subjective element.
Important Features of Job Evaluation
Job evaluation has a purpose of producing a ranking of jobs which is defensible and a rational
and accepted pay structure can be built on.
The features of job evaluation include:
1. It attempts to assess jobs and not people.
2. Its standards are relative and not absolute.
3. Job evaluations are made based on information retrieved from job analysis.
4. They are out by groups of people as opposed to individuals.
5. Its committees utilize concepts such as fairness, logic and consistency in carrying out the
assessments.
6. It has an element of subjective judgement.
7. It does not determine pay scales, rather it provides evidences on which pay scales can be
devised.
Objectives of Job Evaluation
The main objective of job evaluation is determining relative worth of different jobs in a plant as
a basis of developing an equitable salary structure.
The objectives of job evaluation are to:
1. Provide standard procedure for determining relative worth of each job in a plant.
2. Determine equitable wage differentials between jobs in the plant.
3. Remove wage inequalities.
4. Ensure like wages are paid to employees that are qualified for like work.
5. Provide information for work organization, selection of employees, training and
placement.